Brooms, particularly for curling



, July 4, 1967 A. P. FORBES BROOMS, PARTICULARLY FOR CURLING Filed Feb. 2, 1965 INVENTOR. ANDREW P. FORBES PATENT AGENT United States Patent 3,328,823 BROOMS, PARTICULARLY FOR CURLING Andrew P. Forbes, Norwich, Ontario, Canada, assignor to West, Taylor, Bickle & Co. Limited, Norwich, Ontario, Canada Filed Feb. 2, 1965, Ser. No. 429,771 13 Claims. (Cl. 15-160) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The head of a curling broom has a bundle of fibres that are bound together by a device which will not scratch the ice surface of a curling rink, but which acts as a fixed stop for the low binding of the broom, the low binding being located between the aforementioned device and the broom handle and being stitched through both the fibre bundle and other fibres surrounding the fibre bundle.

This invention relates to brooms. More specifically, this invention relates to brooms particularly suited for use in the game of curling, i.e. to curling brooms.

A curling broom comprises a handle and a head which is attached to the handle. The head is composed of a number of fibres which generally are longer than the fibres of a common household broom. Because of this it is necessary to bind these fibres together at a point slightly more than half-way between the sweeping end of the broom and the ends of the fibres attached to the handle (the binding being closer to the sweeping end of the broom), otherwise the fibres will spread apart substantially during sweeping, thereby reducing the efliciency of sweeping.

The installation of a suitable binding poses certain problems. The binding, which commonly is cord or nylon, must in some way be fixed to the head in order to prevent it from slipping over the sweeping end of the broom when the broom is used. On the other hand, the binding must not be so tight on the head as to prevent the fibres, when flexed, from slipping back and forth through the binding during sweeping. Thus the binding cannot be fixed to the head by merely tightening it appreciably on the head.

In accordance with this invention there is provided a broom, particularly a curling broom, provided with a binding that is arranged on the head of a broom in such a manner as to prevent its slipping 01f over the sweeping end of the broom, and yet which permits the fibres to slip therethrough.

This invention will become more apparent-from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of a complete broom constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 but showing parts of the head of the broom broken away to reveal the inner construction thereof; and

FIGURES 3, 4 and are sections taken along lines 3-3, 4-4, and 55 respectively in FIGURE 2.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a broom,

particularly a curling broom, that has a head 10 and a handle 11. Handle 11 may be fabricated from wood, for example, as is usually the case, but it will be appreciated that otherjmaterials may be used therefor if desired. Head 10, on the other hand, comprises a plurality of individual fibres 12. In the case of curling brooms these fibres generally are broom corn, but it will be appreciated that other types of fibres such as sisal, tampico and synthetic fibres may be employed depending upon the use to which the broom is to be put.

Head 10, more particularly fibres 12 thereof, are attached to handle 11 in a conventional manner. The at 3,328,823 Patented July 4, 1967 taching means may consist, for example, of a strong wire 30 which is inserted through an aperture (not shown) bored through handle 11 at the end thereof adjacent head 10, fixed to handle 11 in any suitable manner, as, for example, by being twisted on itself, and wrapped tightly around fibres 12 to securely fasten them to handle 11. This wire preferably is covered by a metal cap 13, which is in the form of a hollow truncated cone, and which may be fastened in position by wrapping a portion of binding wire 30 around it and also by a nail or nails (not shown) around one of which the free end of wire 30 is wrapped.

As best shown in FIGURES 2-5 inclusive, disposed within the outer periphery of head 10 is a bundle 14 of fibres 12, this bundle forming an inner core of fibres. Extending over and beyond and surrounding fibre bundle 14 is a skirt 15 of fibres 12. The fibres 12 in skirt 15 are longer than fibres 12 of bundle 14 and define the sweeping end 16 of the broom.

It also will be noted that head 10 includes an outer skirt 17 of fibres 12. The fibres 12 in this outer skirt 17 are shorter than the fibres 12 of skirt 15 and terminate short of the sweeping end 16 of the broom. The purpose of outer skirt 17 will become more apparent hereinafter. Holding all of the fibres 12 of head 10 together adjacent the end of handle 11 to which the fibres are attached is a metal ring 18. The ends of this ring may be welded together, and ring 18 serves to hold fibres 12 very tightly together.

Covering ring 18 to improve the appearance of the broom there may be provided a sleeve 19 of a suitable material such as velvet, for example, which may bear appropriate advertising material and a panel to permit the name of the owner to be indicated.

Also covered by sleeve 19 and shown in FIGURE 2 is a binding 31 in the form of natural or synthetic twine which is Wrapped tightly around the outer periphery of head 10, and which is stitched through fibres 12 from the front to the back of the broom at a plurality of locations in much the same manner as the binding shown in FIGURES 2 and 4 at 20, and to be referred to hereinafter. This binding covered by sleeve 19 also is tight on head 10 and serves to hold fibres 12 together tightly.

There may be provided a silk cord 21 wrappedaround head 10 adjacent cap 13. This cord serves a decorative function but also may be used to cover those parts of binding wire 30 which bind fibres 12 together at this point.

Referring now to FIGURE 2, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of this invention I have provided a device adjacent the end of fibre bundle 14 remote from handle 11. This device is permanently fixed to fibre bundle 14. In a preferred form this device consists of a strip '22 of a strong cloth which is bonded to fibres 12 in bundle 14 by means of any suitable adhesive and which is stapled by staples 50. Preferably this adhesive'should be a rubber base adhesive, and I have found that a mineral rubber compound sold under the trademark Diamond H by the Mitchell Rand Manufacturing Corp., Hill'- burn, N.Y., U.S.A. may be employed. The adhesive may be applied to bundle 14 by dipping or any other convenient method. It is not essential that the device be located adjacent the end of fibre bundle 14, but it is preferred that this be the case. It also will be appreciated that other flexible devices than that described herein may be used without departing from this invention. For example, strip 22 could be a strong, resinous type material. It is desirable, however, that the device be flexible to some extent so that it is not likely to scratch or mar the surface being swept when a vigorous sweeping action is employed.

Because of the length of fibres 12 in skirt 15 it is necessary to bind these fibres together at a point intermediate binding 31 and the sweeping end 16 of the broom, otherwise the fibres 12 in skirt 15 will spread apart substantially under sweeping action. To meet the foregoing requirement I provide a binding 20 in the form of a strong twine, for example, which is wrapped around skirt 15, and which has portions or stitches 23 thereof stitched through fibres 12, as best shown in FIGURE 4. While some of stitches 23 are stitched only through fibres 12 in skirt 15, it will be seen from FIGURE 4 that a number of the stitches 23 are not only stitched through fibres 12 in skirt 15, but also through fibres 12 in bundle 14, and, as best seen in FIGURE 2, binding 20 is positioned adjacent strip 22 on the side thereof closest to handle 11.

Binding 20 necessarily is relatively loose on fibres 12, so that when force is exerted on the broom causing fibres 12 to bend or flex, these fibres can slide relative to and through binding 20. Because of the fact that binding 20 is relatively loose on skirt 15, were it not for strip 22 fixed in one position to fibre bundle 14 by the aforementioned rubber adhesive and staples, it would be possible for binding 20 to slip over the sweeping end 16 of the broom. This is prevented, however, by those stitches 23 which are stitched through not only the fibres of skirt 15, but also through the fibres of bundle 14 between strip 22 and handle 11. Thus, strip 22 bonded to fibre bundle 14 serves as a permanent stop for binding 20.

It is preferred that binding 20 be located slightly closer to the sweeping end 16 of the broom than to the end of fibres 12 attached to handle 11, but this is not absolutely essential.

While it is preferred that bundle 14 be so located in head as to be completely surrounded by skirt 15, this is not absolutely essential, and bundle 14 could be located adjacent one side of skirt 15.

A dual function is served by fibres 12 in outer skirt 17. These fibres cover binding 20, thereby protecting it from wear when the broom is used vigorously. In addition, the ends 24 of fibres 12 in outer skirt 17 also perform a sweeping function when the broom is used vigorously with the fibres 12 in bundle bent substantially.

In the manufacture of the broom disclosed herein fibre bundle 14 is attached to handle 11 by binding wire 30, the end of bundle 14 is dipped in adhesive, and strip 22 is wrapped tightly over the adhesive. The adhesive is allowed to set bonding strip 22 to bundle 14 in a now fixed position thereon. Staples 50 then are applied. Skirts 15 and 17 and the various bindings 18, 20 and 31 subsequently are applied, assembled and attached in a conventional manner, care being taken to ensure that binding 20 is between strip 22 and handle 11, preferably adjacent the former. Subsequently cap 13, cord 21 and sleeve 19 may be added.

While a preferred embodiment of this invention has been disclosed herein, those skilled in the art will appreciate that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A curling broom comprising a head, a handle and attaching means for attaching said head to said handle; said head comprising a plurality of individual fibres attached to said handle by said attaching means, first fibre binding means binding said fibres together and positioned relatively close to said attaching means, second fibre binding means binding some only of said fibres into a fibre bundle, said second fibre binding means being of a character such that scratching of curling ice by said second fibre binding means when said broom is being used is avoided, said second fibre binding means being permanently fixed in position with respect to the fibres in said bundle and being secured to and carried by the fibres in said bundle, said second fibre binding means being spaced from said first fibre binding means and positioned on the side thereof remote from said bundle, and third fibre binding means extending around said fibres and stitched through said fibres sufiiciently loosely to permit said fibres to slide relative to said third fibre binding means, said third fibre binding means being positioned intermediate said first and second fibre binding means, at least a part of the portion of said third fibre binding means stitched through said fibres extending through said fibre bundle, said second fibre binding means serving as a fixed stop to prevent said third fibre binding means from slipping off said head over the end thereof remote from said handle.

2. A broom according to claim 1 wherein the fibres in said fibre bundle are shorter than other fibres of said head, said other fibres extending over and beyond the fibres in said fibre bundle.

3. A broom according to claim 2 wherein said fibre bundle is disposed wholly inside the outer periphery of said head and is surrounded and covered by said other fibres.

4. A broom according to claim 1 wherein said second fibre binding means is flexible.

5. A broom according to claim 1 wherein said second fibre binding means comprises a flexible strip of material and a flexible adhesive, said adhesive securing said strip to at least some of the fibres in said fibre bundle.

6. A broom according to claim 5 wherein said material is cloth and said adhesive is a rubber base adhesive.

7. A broom according to claim 1 wherein said third fibre binding means is positioned in close proximity to said second fibre binding means.

8. A broom according to claim 3 wherein said second fibre binding means is flexible, and wherein said third fibre binding means is positioned in close proximity to said second fibre binding means.

9. A broom according to claim 8 wherein said second fibre binding means comprises a flexible strip of material and a flexible adhesive, said adhesive securing said strip to at least some of the fibres in said fibre bundle.

10. A broom according to claim 8 wherein said second fibre binding means is fixed to the fibres in said bundle adjacent to the ends of the fibres in said bundle remote from said handle.

11. A broom according to claim 2 wherein said second fibre binding means is fixed to the fibres in said bundle adjacent to the ends of the fibres in said bundle remote from said handle.

12. A broom according to claim 1 wherein the fibres of said head other than the fibres in said bundle are of two diiferent lengths, the shorter ones of said fibres forming a skirt over the longer ones of said fibres, the skirt formed by the shorter ones of said fibres covering said third fibre binding means but terminating short of the free ends of the longer ones of said fibres.

13. A broom according to claim 10 wherein the fibres of said head other than the fibres in said bundle are of two different lengths, the shorter ones of said fibres forming a skirt over the longer ones of said fibres, the skirt formed by the shorter ones of said fibres covering said third fibre binding means but terminating short of the free ends of the longer ones of said fibres.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 33,686 11/1861 Towers 15--207 1,115,255 10/1914 Struve 15-189 1,152,167 8/1915 Gardner 15171 2,983,939 5/ 1961 Marchessault 15-189 X DANIEL BLUM, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CURLING BROOM COMPRISING A HEAD, A HANDLE AND ATTACHING MEANS FOR ATTACHING SAID HEAD TO SAID HANDLE; SAID HEAD COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL FIBERS ATTACHED TO SAID HANDLE BY SAID ATTACHING MEANS, FIRST FIBRE BINDING MEANS BINDING SAID FIBRES TOGETHER AND POSITIONED RELATIVELY CLOSE TO SAID ATTACHING MEANS, SECOND FIBRE BINDING MEANS BINDING SOME ONLY OF SAID FIBRES INTO A FIBRE BUNDLE, SAID SECOND FIBRE BINDING MEANS BEING OF A CHARACTER SUCH THAT SCRATCHING OF CURLING ICE BY SAID SECOND FIBRE BINDING MEANS WHEN SAID BROOM IS BEING USED IS AVOIDED, SAID SECOND FIBRE BINDING MEANS BEING PERMANENTLY FIXED IN POSITION WITH RESPECT TO THE FIBRES IN SAID BUNDLE AND BEING SECURED TO AND CARRIED BY THE FIBRES IN SAID BUNDLE, SAID SECOND FIBRE BINDING MEANS BEING SPACED FROM SAID FIRST FIBRE BINDING MEANS AND POSITIONED ON THE SIDE THERE- 